Helicopter crashes in northern Indian state, 6 people on board
KEDARNATH: A helicopter carrying six people crashed on Sunday in the northern Indian state of Uttarakhand, news agency ANI reported.
The aircraft had gone missing in the Gaurikund area of the state, ANI reported, citing an official.
Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said in an X post that the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), local administration and other rescue teams were engaged in relief and rescue operations.
Broadcaster India Today cited officials as saying the helicopter lost course due to bad weather.
Indian media has reported that the helicopter was heading to Hindu pilgrimage site of Kedarnath. It had taken off from Dehradun in Uttarakhand state and lost contact with air traffic control near Gaurikund, a mountainous area close to the Himalayan temple town.
The helicopter was later found crashed between Trijuginarayan and Gaurikund, Reuters reported.
Helicopter services to Kedarnath are frequently used by pilgrims during the annual Char Dham Yatra season and are often impacted by fast-changing weather in the region. Questions have since been raised about aviation safety and oversight in the region, especially during peak travel months.
The Kedarnath route has seen fatal accidents in the past. In October 2022, seven people died when a helicopter ferrying pilgrims crashed near the same area.
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